The present invention relates to a multi-component intraocular lens for an eye.
Traditionally, surgery to remove the crystalline lens of the eye has a refractive accuracy of .+-.10%. Additionally, traditional intraocular lenses could not be modified once they were in place in the patient's eye. The only way the vision characteristics of an intraocular lens could be modified was to use spectacles or contact lenses after surgery or to remove the existing implanted lens and to replace it with one having the desired vision characteristics. Due to tissue growth around the haptics or other position fixation means used to maintain the already implanted lens in the eye, as well as adhesion of eye tissue to other portions of the implant, especially where that lens has been implanted for an extended period of time, removal of the intraocular lens involved relatively major and complex surgery and the risk of loss of vision.
Accordingly, there is a need for an intraocular lens which can be modified once it is in place within the eye. Moreover, there is a need for an intraocular lens which can, in addition to correcting cataracts, be used to correct any refractive (i.e., vision) problem.
Additionally, there is a need for an easily manufacturable intraocular lens which can be designed so that there is no need to custom manufacture a unique intraocular lens for every possible type of vision correction.